Global travel agents embrace AI while demanding rate parity and richer content

September 29, 2026

3 min read

Smiling mother with her baby visiting a welcoming female travel agent.

Laura Cobbold

Corporate Communications - Amadeus

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Research among more than 750 travel sellers reveals growing engagement with distribution platforms, and evolving priorities, sustainability and pricing

The latest biennial study of travel sellers around the world reveals a significant increase in the use of the major global distribution systems, with the research also offering advice for travel brands looking to optimize media placement opportunities.

Rate parity is the priority as agents increase reliance on distribution systems

The topline takeaway is that agents in all regions are using the global distribution systems more than two years ago, outperforming the growth seen in other reservation channels. Approaching half of all agents globally (43%) are using them more than in 2024, and on average, agents use them over 6 times per day, spending nearly 8 hours connected. By region, APAC leads the way with 47% of agents using the platforms more than they did two years ago, followed by EMEA at 44% and the Americas at 42%.

Rate parity is seen by agents as non-negotiable, with 94% of the sample saying it is highly important. Two out of three (63%) said they would actively book away from a property if they felt pricing was inconsistent. Agents also require quality content, with 90% relying on the hotel description (HoD) fields provided by the hotel when comparing and recommending properties.

Agents also demand that HoDs include sustainability credentials. Across all regions, sustainability has also moved from a “nice to have” to a standard decision factor. Nearly nine out of ten (88%) say sustainability matters to customers when choosing a provider. When green credentials are missing, agents say it can negatively influence the booking decision, especially in EMEA and APAC.

Agents welcome AI into their workflow

More than three in four agents said AI is part of their selling toolkit, using it to research options, compare content, build recommendations, and improve productivity. Comfort levels are high, although regional differences emerge.

APAC leads the way, with agents already embracing advanced AI use cases, including itinerary suggestions (36%), CRM recommendations (32%), and fraud or quality tools (21%). Conversational AI – ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini – is most employed by agents in EMEA (62%) and is the leading use case across regions. Automated fare search tools and AI itinerary suggestion platforms are also gaining traction, each used by 29% of agents globally.

Agents in the Americas show more caution towards AI, with more than one in three (35%) of agents asserting that they are not using AI to help them to sell, although the report suggests that “this may shift as tools become more embedded in daily workflows”. Across all regions, agents were aligned in identifying pricing and upsell suggestions, hotel recommendations, destination inspiration and content comparison as areas where AI could improve their productivity.

AI-powered advertising helps agents shape traveler choice

With most agents embracing AI, the benefits of AI-powered advertising within the global distribution system (GDS) – for brands, agents and travelers – are set to increase. B2B marketing agencies offer brands placement in these channels, with Amadeus the only supplier to place adverts across the three major global distribution systems.

Agents respond positively to such placements, according to the research. Around two in three agents say GDS ads shape their buying behavior, with one in four stating that they had booked a hotel in direct response to an ad. The strongest booking trigger is an exclusive GDS-only offer (57%), followed by verified rate parity (36%), loyalty perks (34%), and customer review summaries (34%).

Elsewhere, GDS advertising also contributes to increased brand awareness, even if the placement doesn’t immediately lead to a booking. Familiarity can influence future searches, recommendations, and bookings, the research said.

“Effective advertising is no longer simply about being visible. It is about delivering the right offer and content at the point when an agent is ready to act. Our advertising solutions combine broad multi‑channel reach with targeted insights and industry expertise, helping travel brands capture attention, build familiarity and influence booking decisions.”

Dan Ciocoiu Head of Advertising Solutions, Amadeus

Report methodology: Takedown Research questioned more than 750 travel sellers across the industry’s three major providers – Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport – with the results weighted to ensure equal representation across all regions. Similar surveys were carried out in 2024 and in 2022.

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